Traction wheel rim



c. H. sMALLwooD E-r AL TRACTION WHEEL RIM Filed N'Qv. 14, 1938 Feb, 13, 1940.

,Il embodying the present Patented Feb. 13, 1940 TRAoTlo-N gisant orties WHEEL RIM Charles lH. Smallwood, Brownington, and Walter Kansas City,

Application November 14, 1938, Seria-l No. Zidi/H s claims.

This invention relates to traction wheel rims landmore particularlyA to rims oi that character adapted for removable 'mounting on the tires of tractory and like traction Wheels.

' ployed to cushion the normally rearwardly positioned traction Wheels and the normally for-l wardly positioned guide Wheels of tractors used for heavy road duty in order to comply with the laws of many states prohibiting the use of tractors having lugged Wheels on state or county roads. When, however, the' tractors are to be used on farm and like land for heavy Work, it -hasbeen found that insuicient traction is obe tained from the pneumatic` tires tol obtain eilicient service from the tractor. v

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to able rim that may be readily applied to old `or new pneumatic ltires of tractor traction Wheels to the end that the tractor ymay be driven on vroads in a manner complying with law and may be driven on land proper in-a manner by which the efciencyof the tractor is augmented. Il `Other objects of the invention are to provide for seating the traction Wheels for the tractor internally of the rim; to provide for adjusting the rim and rim-engaged tires relative to each other for increasing or decreasing the bite and/or I0 irictional engagement therebetween; to provide a minimum number of tire yengaging elements capable of efficiently fixing the rims on the tires;

to provide for quickly and easilyl applying andr to the tires; and to f provide improved parts and combinations of parts removing the rims .relative in the construction of rims having the purposes and objects above set'forth.

In accomplishing thesefand other objects of` the present invention, We have provided improved I details of structure, the preferredform of which is Iillustrated in the accompanying l drawing,V

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a iragmentaryfside elevational View of a conventional tractor or like vehicle, the rear 4.5 traction Wheels of which are provided With rims embodying the featuresof the present invention, portions of the rim being shown in section to better illustrate the construction.

Fig. 2 isa detail 5o through a portion of 22, Fig. `1.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 on the'line 33, Fig. 1. 5

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the rim the rim and tire on the line Pneumatic and liketires are customarily emn n provide a low cost demount vertical cross-sectional View f invention, a tire saddle.

(C1. 15a-T56)v disassembled portion thereof being shovm in spaced relation thereto to show the manner of attachment thereof tov the rim.

Referring more in detail to the drawing: The invention preferably includes a rim I designed for application to each wheels 2 of a tractor 3 or the like' by means of saddles 4, fixed internally relative tothe rim I and engageable with spaced surface portions of*- tires 5 on the traction Wheels in such a mannerv as to removably mount the rims about the Wheels and upon the tires.` i

rThe tractor Si is conventional, as arethe Wheels 2 and tires 5, the tires preferablybeingof pneumatic type having the usual Walls l and 8. vWhen employing rough terrain in comparison to relatively smooth v' -,road surfaces,A a rim i is preferablyapplied to v each of the traction Wheels oi the tractor.

ci metal of substantially greater diameter than the wheel and tire to which it is to be applied, the outer surface of the rim having spaced transverse angle irons suitably fixed tol the frim and forming traction lugs d. posed, arcuately shaped angle irons are also preferably arranged between thetraction `lugs and form guide lugs iii to prevent side slipping of the tractor.`

The saddles` i are substantial duplicates, each of the traction tread t and side the' tractor on farm land or Each rim i preferably includes a circular band l v preferably including spaced bosses il fand l2 v having 4laterally extending base flanges i3 and of the rim. The bosses an arcuate flange i@ frictionally engageable with the tread oi eachA of the tires A sideilange il is preferably formed integrally with the iiange i6' and is adapted one of the side walls oi the tire d, the ends of the side flange i'i being joined to the radjacent bosses and base flanges by end closures i3. v Alt has been found lpreferable to arrange alternate saddles i in overlapping, oppcsitely disposed, annular series relation, as particularly `shownin Fig. 4, and to this end the bosses il and l?. are bored transversely, as at it, to provide for passing fastening devices ifiil therethrough to lconnect the saddles together, the boss li of one vsaddle being positioned adjacent the boss saddle when in oppositely disposed relation, as shown in Fig. 4. i In order to secure the saddlesto the rim it has vbeen yfound preferable to provide the base ,ianges of one series of similarlyvarrangel saddles i i of another L for ricticnal engagement with Spaced, annularly disf with apertures alignable with spaced, annularly arranged apertures in the rim for the passage of fastening devices 2| to fix one series of saddles .to the rim, the oppositely disposed series of saddles being fixed to the rim indirectly by the fastening devices 2U, yet having frictional bear'- ing support cn the inner face of the rim..

In using a rim constructed as described, and assuming that the rim is to be applied to a traction wheel having a pneumatic tire, the wheel may be jacked-up in a suitable manner and, if desired, the tire may be partially deflated. Certain of the fastening devices 20 may then be loosened to permit removal of certain adjacent saddles in a series thereof frictionally engaging the rim, it being unnecessary to remove all of that series of saddles, and the rim. may then be placed over the tire 5, the iianges i6 of the saddles engaging the tread of the tire 5 and the ilanges l'l of the xed series of saddles engaging opposite surface portions of the side Walls of' the tire. The removed saddles are then replaced in engaged relation to the tread and one side Wall of the tire and the tire may then be inflated to enhance engagement thereof by the saddles.

It will be noted with particularr reference to Fig. 3 that the arrangement of the oppositely disposed saddles is such that the adjacent bosses H and l2 of each saddle are spaced laterally from each other to provide for adjustment rela# tive to the tire by means of the fastening devices 2B when it is desired to increase or decrease frictional engagement or bite in fixing the rim to the tire.

Particular advantages resulting from the pres ent linvention are that inflation of the tire to which the rim is attached is normally sucient to fir: the tire in the saddles and the rim on the tires The rim is easily and quickly applied to the tire without the necessity of removing all the saddles of even one series.

It is'also apparent that no tie members or other extraneous elements are necessary to secure the rim to the tire and traction wheel.

What we claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

y l. In a device of the characterdescribed, a` rim, and a plurality of saddles mounted interiorly ofthe rim in alternate oppositely dispo-sed vrelation to each other to seat a tire between portions thereof and frictionally retain the rim thereon.

2. In a rim, of the character described, Substantially duplicate saddle members mounted in teriorly of the rim, each saddle member including base members engageable with the rim, an

arcuate member connecting the base members, lthe arcuate member being spaced inwardly from Athefrim and being frictionally engageable with the tread of a tire, and a side flange on said arcuate member engageable with a side wall of they are.

The interengagement of the` saddles adapts vthe oppositely disposed series thereof to be pulled together to grip the-tire.`

3. In a rim, of the character described',y sube stantially duplicate saddles mounted interiorly ofthe rim, each saddle including base members engageable with the rim, an arcuate member connecting the base members,` the arcuate member being spaced inwardly from the rim. and being frictionally engageable with the treadof a tire, v: said arcuatemember enf gageable with a side wall of the tire, said saddles 1 lO.

and a side flange on being arranged in alternately oppositely disposed annular series about the interior of the rim.

4. In a device of the character described.. a`

rim, and saddles mounted interiorly vof the rim Y' oppositely disposed'annular series j stantially duplicate saddle members mounted interiorly of the rim, each saddle member including base members engageable with the rim, an arcuate member connecting the base members, the

arcuate member being spaced inwardly from the', f

rim and being frictionally engageablewith the tread of a tire, and a side ilange on said arcuate member engageable with a side wall of the tire,

said saddles being arranged in alternately op-l positely disposed annular series about the interior of the rim, one series of said saddles being fixed to said rim, the other series of said saddles being adjustably connected to saidxed series. 6. In a rim of the character described, substantially duplicate saddles mounted interiorly,`

of the rim, each saddle including base members i engageable with the rim, an arcuate member connecting the base members, the arcuate member being spaced inwardly from the rim and begageable with a side Wall ofthe tire, said saddlesbeing arranged in alternately, oppositely disposed ing frictionally engageable with the tread of a 'tire, a sideiiange on said arcuate member enannular series about the interior of the rim, the

base members of one series of to said rim, alignable apertures, kand fastening devices extending through saidapertures when the base saddles being xed each of .said base members having members of alternate saddles are in overlapping relation adapted to laterally adjustably connect said saddles together.

7. In a device of the character described, a rim, and a plurality of saddles mounted interiorly of the rim in alternate oppositely disposed relation to each other to seatv a tire between p0rtions thereof and frictionally retain ther rim thereon, certain of said saddles being removably engaged with others of the saddles to facilitate application of the rim tothe tire.

8. In a rim. of the character described, saddles." mounted interiorly of the rim, certain of said saddles being Xed to said rim, the others l of said saddles being connected to said fixed saddles.

CHARLES H. SMIALLWOOD.v WALTER A. REICH. 

